Gordon Coates

Gordon Coates (3 February 1878-27 May 1943) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 30 May 1925 to 10 December 1928, succeeding Francis Bell and preceding Joseph Ward. He was a member of the conservative New Zealand Reform Party.

Biography
Gordon Coates was born in Pahi, New Zealand on 3 February 1878, and he worked on his father's farm before being elected to Parliament in 1911 as an "Independent Liberal", though from 1912 he sided with the oppositional New Zealand Reform Party, which represented the country's farming interests. He saw distinguished service in France during World War I, and upon his return was made Postmaster-General, Minister of Telegraphs, and Minister of Justice. One of the most able ministers of William Massey's cabinet, he made a considerable contribution towards the successful reintegration of the soldiers returning from the war. As Native Minister from 1921 to 1925, he became the first politician of European descent to champion Maori rights, staying in close contact with Apirana Ngata. He was also an energetic Minister of Works from 1920 to 1926 and Minister of Railways from 1923 to 1928, being responsible for considerable infrastructural improvements. He succeeded Massey as Prime Minister, and he was returned with a substantial majority in the 1925 elections. He failed to cope with the country's economic problems, however, and he was unable to prevent the country sliding into an economic recession. He lost the 1928 elections and set about rebuilding the party, and he reluctantly agreed to join George Forbes in a coalition government to respond to the Great Depression, and as Deputy Prime Minister engineered the major economic policies of the government. At the Ottawa Conference, he secured agreement for open access to the British market, he lowered the exchange rate to increase exports, and he established the Reserve Bank in 1933 to increase monetary control. This earned him little gratitude from an electorate impoverished by the economic slump. Following an electoral defeat in 1936, he had to accept the merger of the Reform Party with the New Zealand National Party, after which he was relegated to the sidelines. From 1940 until his death, he served in the War Cabinet, in charge of the Ministry of Armed Forces and War Coordination. The efficiency and skill he displayed in this function marked the most distinguished period of his career. He remained MP for Kaipara until his 1943 death.